This invention relates generally to thumb and wrist protection. Prior order generating protection devices have been attempted and implemented. One such device, disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,531, to Scott B. Olson et al., issued on Jun. 18, 1996, is directed to a wrist guard which has a molded body having its first end configured to contact a user's palm and a second end configured to engage the user's forearm. A thumb receiving member is located at a first side of the palm end of the wrist guard and is designed to prevent overextension of the thumb. The forearm portion stabilizes the wrist guard so it does not rotate. The first strap extends betweens the thumb covering and the opposing side of the first end of the palm and of the stiff body member. This strap is selectively adjustable to ensure proper fit. A second strap is located at the forearm end of the wrist guard. This strap, like the first strap, is selectively adjustable to ensure proper fit. The user will insert their thumb into the thumb receiving member and tighten the straps for securing the wrist guard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,531 is incorporated herein by reference for at least the purpose of giving context to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,433 B2 to Ryan C. Coulter et al., issued on Jan. 13, 2009, is directed to a glove which includes two “H” shaped stiffening battens on a dorsal side. The battens terminate on a proximal side of the second through fifth fingers, and are formed from a non-rigid material. A one-piece protective panel is attached to the palmar side of the glove. The protective panel covers portions of the wearing hand palm corresponding to the distal ends of the second through fifth metacarpal bones, as well as palmar side portions of the second through fifth digits corresponding to the second through fifth proximal phalanx bones. Flex notch cut-outs in the protective panel correspond to portions of the palmar region which tend to bunch during gripping of a bar or other object and help prevent discomfort during such gripping. U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,433 B2 is incorporated herein by reference for at least the purpose of giving context to the present invention.
Despite the hand protection provided by devices disclosed by the above introduced patents, there is still a need for a glove that can provide protection to the thumb and wrist of a skier or snowboarder, such as preventing the thumb from being bent in an unnatural direction or a backward exaggerated angle.